Dipping his feet

Joaquin Phoenix showed up last night at “guerrilla artist” Banksy’s Exit Through the Gift Shop premiere in LA. Remember when Brange bought a Banksy for $2 million?

Joaquin seems to be re-emerging slowly and clean-shaven, almost sane-looking. Almost. Last month he also hit up Elton John’s Oscar party, not exactly his kind of joint. But he arrived having showered, in a proper suit, and sat with Anthony Kiedis. And of course that immediately triggers a very bad thought association, bad bad bad.

So what’s uplifting about Joaquin these days? Well... he’s not being a f-cking douche anymore with that rapper attempt. And if he’s edging his way back onto the scene it could mean he’s ready to work again. Acting is certainly a gift for him. If he can hold his sh-t together, his contributions are always worthwhile. They always say that Joaquin is “gentle and vulnerable”, that in many ways he’s not built for this business and the Hollywood game. I’m not so sure that’s true anymore. When I saw him at the Grey Goose Soho House party during Oscar week there was something hard and mean in those eyes. Inevitable, I guess. But then again, why not leave? He was thrust into it very early too. And at some point all of it becomes inseparable.